After checking out the sales at American Rag, I went a couple doors down to grab a bite to eat at the newly open restaurant, Tinga. I had a little trouble finding it since there wasn’t a sign above the doorway, but the scents from the kitchen guided me through the right doors.
I had trouble choosing from the menu of Latin inspired items with unique ingredients. I decided on the spicy pork tacos with a horchata. The horchata was creamier than I was used to and probably would have liked, but it was a great companion to the very spicy tacos. The menu warned me of the spice level, but I thought I could handle it. The caramelized onions and Mexican cheese balanced out the spices and flavors of the tender shredded pork well. On the side was warm, fresh tortilla chips sprinkled with Mexican cheese. This meal definitely hit the spot for lunch. I will be making a trip back soon very soon.

Whoa! I’m sure that is your reaction to what you are seeing now. Nothing drastic but still cool, huh? Change is good some times. This blog has been in need of a make-over. So a little over 2 years in and 400 blog posts later, here we are. We’re going in the right direction. Things are only gonna get better.

After some volunteering up at UniCamp, being a UCLA graduate, and figuring out my life, I have put blogging back into my routine. Here are some highlights of where I have been during the last couple months.

My girlfriend and I took part of a day to hike up to the Hollywood sign.We had dinner at one of my favorite restaurants, Little Dom’s.The Friday dinner special. This was a perfectly seasoned and cooked piece of pork was wrapped around a tasty stuffing. We drove up to the Griffith Observatory to get a nice view of the city. The line for the telescope was way too long. I had a quick lunch at Gjelina in Venice. This place is beautifully decorated and have spectacular food.

The crispy duck leg confit with a ginger lime pilsner to wash it down.I definitely stepped up my game for lunch that day.

Moet & Chandon Ice Imperial launch party at the Tropicana Bar at the Roosevelt Hotel. The cool thing about this version of the high-class champagne is that it is made to be put on ice. This drink was perfect for the warm, sunny afternoon by the pool. Free tacos too? I can get used to this.

And that’s where I have been. Now that we have caught up, let’s get back to business.

PacSun threw a free concert a couple weekends ago in Santa Monica. The sun was out, it was free, B.o.B was performing, and I had nothing else to do so I decided to roll out there to meet my friends. It ended up being a lot cooler than I thought it would be. All the surf and skate brands came out and set up games and various stations, while giving away free stuff like boardshorts, hats, and sunglasses. I didn’t want to wait in the long lines so I just waited 5 minutes to get some popcorn and walked around while I waited for B.o.B to come on stage.Here is the man everyone was waiting for. The show was less hip-hop than I thought it would be but B.o.B is a great performer. He even played guitar for a lot of the show. For his encore he and his band played MGMT’s Kids. This was a good day.

After a lot of talking and finally a free night , we went to Baby Blue’s BBQ in Venice. It was near closing time, so luckily there was no wait. The food did take some time to come out, but there is no reason to rush barbecue.Since it was all of our first times, we all ordered the Three Kings: chicken, Memphis ribs, brisket, corn bread and two sides. My sides were the creamy spinach and corn on the cob which were both really good. My ribs were pretty burnt. The brisket was fine. The chicken was moist and delicious. A combination of the BBQ sauces and hot sauces make it all better. This plate was much more filling than at first glance. This corn on the cob was absolutely phenomenal: two pieces covered in Mexican cheese and chili powder with a squeeze of lime. I just salivated a little bit while typing that.For Saturday brunch a couple friend and I went to Huckleberry. Being a Saturday, there was a line going out the back door as expected. As you wait in line, you plan what you want to order while changing your mind multiple times as plates of food comes out of the kitchen window and the waiters carry them right by your face. You then end up wanting every pastry behind the window.After some deliberation with myself, friends, and waitress, I ordered their take on green eggs and ham which consists of a large, fluffy homemade English muffin, poached eggs, prosciutto, pesto, and arugula. We had a winner. Good teamwork everyone.

A little but ago, I checked out David Choe‘s exhibit, Nothing to Declare, at Lazarides in Beverly Hills before it closed. I always knew about David Choe. I knew he was known for his graffiti, his documentary, and his online series about hitch hiking across America. I have even seen some of his work like his Obama print. So I already knew this man was talented. It wasn’t until I saw his exhibit when I truly discovered how talented David Choe really was.